Cambodia is a country of ancient civilization, recently survived the horrors of genocide and violence. Today it is one of the most promising tourist regions of South-East Asia, which attracts tourists from all over the world. Tens of thousands of travelers choose tours to Cambodia, to get acquainted with the unique monuments of history and culture of this ancient country.

Tours in Cambodia, formerly a mere addition to tours in Thailand and Vietnam, have now become available as an independent tourist destination. Unfortunately, due to the lack of direct flights from Russia to Cambodia, this trend is not actively growing. But those who still went there, and did not regret it, and only regret that too little time devoted to the study of this wonderful country.

If before visiting points of Russian tourists was mainly Siem reap with Angkor, and sometimes in Phnom Penh, which are a pure excursion, now Cambodia offers to the public and beach holiday combined with entertainment – tourist resort of Sihanoukville. Those who happened to visit him in predicting the future, the title of the second Pattaya. And there are all prerequisites hotels that meet international standards, a huge number of ancient monuments and attractions, and most importantly, still integrity, not corruption of the country by crowds of Western tourists.

General information

The Kingdom of Cambodia - (FR. Cambodge, Khmer. Kampuchea, eng. Cambodia) is a country in South-East Asia to the South of the Indochinese Peninsula, with its capital in Phnom Penh. The area of 181 thousand sq. km. Bordered by Thailand to the West, Vietnam to the East and Laos to the North.

Population. The total population of Cambodia is 14 805 000 people (2009); more than 80% of Khmers (Cambodians), who live mainly in the Central lowland part of Cambodia. In the cities, in the valley of the Mekong river and around Tonle SAP lake live Vietnamese, Chinese, and Cham and the Malays; in the North-East of the mountain Rouge: kui, mnong, stieng; in the East of Lao, and also about 3 thousand of the French (in the cities).

Language. The official language is Khmer (Cambodian). In the last 5 years in Cambodia has greatly increased the popularity of the English language. Well, they own almost every official institution of Cambodia, hotel, restaurant, market. Almost all of the official registration and other forms of tourism in Cambodia, foreigners are invited to fill in English.

Religion. Under the regime of the Khmer Rouge religion in Cambodia was banned. Currently the state religion in Cambodia under the Constitution is Theravada Buddhism (the smaller vehicle).. the Khmer Rouge and most of the Khmer are Buddhist (some of the mountain of the Khmer Rouge retains the ancient traditional beliefs); the Chinese - Confucianism and Buddhism (the Northern branch); Cham and Malay is Sunni Islam, the French and part Vietnamese - Catholicism.

The official holidays in Cambodia.
January 1 - New year. January 7 - Victory Day over genocide regime. March 8 - international women's day. February - mid-April - CNAM-TMI or Caul-CNAM, the New year on the Cambodian calendar. May 1 - Labor Day. mid may - Buddha's birthday (Visaka-Bucea). 1 June - children's Day. 18 June - Queen's birthday. September 24 - Constitution Day. beginning of October - Pchum Ben (Ancestors Day). October 23 - Day of the Paris peace agreement. 30 October - 1 November - birthday of the king. November 9 - independence Day. December 10 - the Day of protection of human rights.

The monetary unit of Cambodia - Riel.

Important information about the history of the country

In the history of Cambodia of the 20th century was very tragic events which, unfortunately, sometimes do not know even arriving to the tourists. For some of them Cambodia – just exotic Asian country with a huge amount of churches and Eastern identity.

Our opinion is that ignorant to come into the country, not knowing about the recent events that turned the life of the state, crossed lives of a whole generation. Imagine that you came to visit foreigners who have no idea about the great Patriotic War. So if you don't want to be ignorant tourist, read a brief account of the tragic events in the history of Cambodia in the second half of the 20th century:

How many bloody periods in history, the story began with the intervention of Europe and continued without the involvement of the United States, although it is impossible to say what their involvement was the direct cause of the incident tragic events. In 1863 France imposed on the Kingdom of Cambodia (official name of the country in 1863 -1976), was the protectorate Treaty, was replaced in 1884 by a Treaty effectively turning it into a colony of France. C 1942 to 1945 Cambodia was occupied by Japan.

In 1951 was founded the people's revolutionary party of Cambodia (NRCP), whose aim was the liberation of the country from the French protectorate . The rise of the liberation struggle eventually forced France in 1953, to withdraw from the country his administration and the troops.

From the late 1960s to 1975, the country was a civil war, which actively interfered North Vietnam, South Vietnam and the United States. It was during this period, in 1968 there was a movement of the "Khmer Rouge", which has become one of the parties to the civil war. The strength of the movement was in that period about 30 thousand people, and was expanded mainly 12-15 year old teenagers.

In 1970 a military coup, which came to power, General LON Nol and proclaimed the establishment of the Khmer Republic. At the same time, the US armed forces and South Vietnam again actively intervened in the life of the country to support military action against the Khmer Rouge.

By the time the Khmer Rouge had the support of the population because it is proclaimed social justice, demanded the expulsion of foreigners and allegedly advocated the restoration of the monarchy.

In 1975 the Khmer Rouge led by Pol pot captured the capital Phnom Penh, and thereby came to power. Since the country was imposed the policy of building "agrarian socialism". The Khmer Rouge established a dictatorship has announced a "revolutionary experiment" to build in Cambodia "one hundred percent of Communist society".

In 1976, Cambodia was renamed Democratic Kampuchea. The first stage was held on the eviction of the inhabitants of the cities to the countryside, the elimination of commodity-money relations, the persecution of Buddhist monks and a complete ban of religion, extermination of officials and servicemen of the old regime at all levels.

Across the country have created higher forms of cooperatives, which were driven from the cities, people in the most difficult conditions engaged in unskilled physical labor, reviving destroyed in the war, the economy of Cambodia.

In the conditions Cambodia has created a specific form of communism based on the ideas of Pol Pot. Was banned a money, foreign languages, foreign books. Across the country, was established a village of the commune of the poor and middle peasantry; citizens in order to "escape from American offensive" were taken from the cities and placed in communes. For criminal offences threatened with penalty (the number of "crimes" included even such as plucked from the tree of the commune of banana harvested from the fields in the bypass of the commune rice crop, etc.), practiced restrictions and persecution on ethnic and social settings (emigrated from the country of ethnic Chinese, Vietnamese, Cham separate Nations, former members of the ruling classes and even have higher education; most of the students, teachers, Buddhist monks). Was shot teachers, doctors, priests. It was forbidden to read and write. Shot for wearing glasses. Of sent to a prison — Tuol Sleng (now the "Museum of genocide"), just about twelve you know, that they survived. Were introduced specific vocabulary reminiscent of Newspeak, literary words, until words like "mother" or "father" were replaced by the dialect, was canceled standard for the languages of Southeast Asia forms of politeness. "Democratic Kampuchea", was almost completely isolated from the outside world, diplomatic contact was maintained only with China, Albania and North Korea. The names and portraits of the leaders of the country (Pol Pot — Brother Number 1, Nuon Chea, Brother No. 2, and Ieng Sary — Brother Number 3, TA MOK, Brother number 4, Khieu Samphan, Brother number 5) was kept secret from the public.

The Victims Of Pol Pot

For the period between 1975 and 1978 the number of deaths amounted to 2 746 105 people, including 1 061 927 farmer, 25 168 monks, 48, 359 of the representatives of national minorities, 305 417 workers, civil servants and other professions, about 100 writers and journalists, a number of foreign citizens, as well as children and the elderly. 568 663 people were missing and either died in the jungle or buried in mass graves, similar to those which were discovered in the vicinity of the airport Kompong Chhnang, Siem Reap and about along the slopes of the Dangrek. These 3 374 768 people were killed with blows of hoes, clubs, burned, buried alive, cut to pieces, stabbed with a sharp sugar palm leaves, poisoned, killed by the shocks; they were subjected to torture by pulling nails, were crushed by the treads of a tractor, thrown to the crocodiles; they cut out the liver, which served as food for the executioners, young children quartered alive, tossed into the air and impaling on bayonets, and beat on tree trunks; women were raped and impaled.

Pol Pot's regime left behind a 141 848 disabled, more than 200 thousand orphans, many widows, who have not found their families. Survivors were deprived of power, they were unable to reproduce and were in a state of poverty and complete physical exhaustion. A large number of young people have lost their happiness as a result of forced marriages, Pol pot undertaken on a massive scale.

Was destroyed 634 522 buildings, of which 5857 schools, 796 hospitals, medical centres and laboratories, 1968 the temples were destroyed or turned into warehouses or prisons. Was also unistage HN 108 mosques. The Pol pot destroyed countless farming tools and 1 416 507 head of cattle.

The Pol Pot regime was overthrown in January 1979 with the support of the armed forces of Vietnam. In 1993 restored the monarchy and proclaimed the Kingdom of Cambodia headed by king Norodom Sihanouk. The Khmer Rouge outlawed, continue to destabilize the situation in the country. Now the remnants of the troops of the Khmer Rouge continue to hide in the jungle, leading a guerrilla war against the current regime.

Weather, tourist seasons

The climate of Cambodia is tropical monsoon, hot.

The temperature ranges from +25C to +40C, and its average value is + 27,4°. The warmest month is April (+29,4°), the "cool" — December (+ 25,7°).

Cambodia stands out only two seasons of the year:

"Rainy season" from may to November. At this time the South West monsoon originating over the Indian ocean brings abundant thunderstorms, which cause a rise of water level in rivers and lakes. Tropical rains usually start in the afternoon and continue for two to three hours.

"Dry season" from November to April. During this period it is noted a slight decrease in temperature and humidity. The rains are very rare. In the dry season are highlighted in the cool season (November to March; the coldest months are December, January) and warm period (from March to may, with a temperature maximum in April).

In most parts of the territory of Cambodia during the year rainfall is from 750 to 1500 mm precipitation, in mountains up to 2000 mm or more, and the average annual rate for the country is about 1400 mm. the Number of rainy days per year — over 120, the cloud—more than 50. The relative humidity average is 78%.

The best time for visits is from September to March. The ideal time to visit is considered to be December and January. At this time, holding a neutral weather, no rain, temperature +30 - +35C, humidity level is quite low.

The wet season, which lasts from may to October, is not necessarily a bad time to visit the country because of the rains for a long time may not be.

Weather in Sihanoukville and forecast*

The time in Cambodia

The time in Cambodia is ahead of Moscow in summer and winter, to +4 hours.

Border crossing Vietnam-Cambodia motorbike.iva3 January, 2015Recently ventured out of Vietnam on a motorbike in Cambodia to go. And tortured me a question let me in with a Vietnamese bike in Cambodia? or not? At the Vietnamese border, a lot of "intermediaries", which for $ 5 you are ready to put a stamp without your involvement (to boast) and without queues. This divorce, if there is a queue, it moves quickly. The stamp and all free! At the Vietnamese border, many say that Cambodians won't let a scooter with Vietnamese numbers. I figured since you released me, it means that there is an opportunity there to pass. On the Cambodian border more difficult... Need to fill anketku for a Visa, she need a picture, but then for $ 5 are helpers that will fill in the questionnaire for you and one agree about the uselessness of photography. It turned out that with a photo of the visa costs 30 dollars, and without pictures 33, but the customs officers. There are people who for $ 10 you will move the bike across the border, which is also expensive. Just after the paperwork (by the way they fingerprinted), go to MOTOBIKE and pass the border. PS: One tamogenaya said that the police were to catch you with these numbers. But I did not come across to them, nor in Vietnam (driving without a license), nor in Cambodia. Who had experience to share. ...

from Ho Chi Minh city to Siem reap by bus and back.adminDecember 23, 2016The only thing you forgot to mention the restriction on the reverse is valid only when visa-free travel, we have about this has long been written everywhere - https://nashaplaneta.net/asia/vietnam/arti-bezvizoviy-viesd-izmeneniya.php. so before you go all read on the topic. ...

From Ho Chi Minh city to Siem reapadminJanuary 16, 2017 From HCM to Phnom Penh bus is 7-10 hours, and from TNG to SMRP for more than 6 hours. As for the stop in Phnom Penh on the way to Siemriep or not, I would definitely say that I'd drop in and make a stop there for 2 full days. To visit the country and not to visit the capital for me is a defective acquaintance with the country, so I always visit the capital. In Phnom Penh you need to watch at least "the killing fields", the Royal Palace, Wat Phnom, NAT. Museum. But there is besides so much more interesting. ...

Questions about Phnom PenhadminJanuary 16, 2017 Hello Anya. To change the dongs can be precisely, but regarding the profitability of the course you will not tell. In any case, the logic of the exchange rate of the Dong to Riel should be more profitable than from dongs to dollars then dollars. But on the other hand, dollars in Cambodia in the course, and the local currency by tourists almost never used, so it may be easier to change dongs for dollars in Vietnam, and in Cambodia directly have to pay with dollars, as all do. ...